From: noel shelley (noel@shelley1722.freeserve.co.uk)
Date: Wed Dec 03 2003 - 12:07:20 PST
Hi Mike and List ,
That terrible noise is the fuel detonating ,
as opposed to the near silently burning as with gasoline . The much higher
compression ratio {about 22:1 } raises the air temp in the cylinder to
around 800 C and on injection the fuel instantly explodes . If a gasoline
engine is allowed to detonate its fuel { a common cause is incorrect
ignition timing } it will soon destroy the engine .
For those who want to know how Dr Rudolf Diesel devised his engine the
BEST book on the subject is DIESELS ENGINE by LYLE CUMMINS { yes that
cummins } it`s a large book that studies the man and the thermodynamic
theory that led him to create the worlds most efficient heat engine . He did
not setout to make a compression ignition engine , his aim was better fuel
economy , the fact that the fuel self ignited was a bonus . Also by the same
author INTERNAL FIRE is the history of the internal combustion engine from
the earliest ideas using gunpowder as fuel .
Hope this is of interest , NOEL.
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